The Snow Queen and The Fire Prince
by JNDynamite
Summary: Elsa's powers start to spasm again, a year after she thought she learned to control them. The only hope for her now is to find a teacher, but to do so she must travel to another world and pick up a completely different art known as "bending" from an unlikely person.
1. Chapter 1: Spasms

******The Snow Queen and The Fire Prince**

 **I. Spasms**

Elsa the Queen of Arendale, was stressed out. She was up to her crown in royal decisions to consider for the welfare of her kingdom. She sat in front of the large desk her father once occupied, her fingers pressed to the sides of her head. The leather chair still smelled like him. It was a warm scent, like an oak tree in the summer. Elsa exhaled a breath of chilly air. A snowflake fell on top of a stack of starched paper in front of her, all diplomatic needs waiting for her approval. Since her ascension to the throne a year ago, and the crisis that befell the kingdom because of her fearsome ice powers, Arendale had become a hot spot. Various countries wanted to trade with the kingdom of Arendale after the Duke of Weselton and Prince Hans tried to overtake the throne in her brief absence. But instead of closing its doors, Arendale opened its doors wide to the rest of the world, bringing in revenue, popularity, and new challenges for Queen Elsa. The kingdom became an unusual tourist attraction for wanderers in the summer, as it was the only kingdom who's queen had the power to create an ice rink during the hottest months of the year. The now-infamous _"Snow Queen,"_ as bards and whisperers named her, ruled over a protected community snuggled in the snowy fjord of the far North.

Elsa tried to get used to the attention being a public and political figure brought her. She had little training in handling such pressure. There were so many questions that she needed to consider, and very few advisors that she trusted to help her delegate major decisions. With the kingdom of Arendale's doors thrown wide open, were her people at risk of invasion? Was she at risk of a political coup when she dealt with foreign mercantilists and other kingdoms? How would her kingdom survive another winter if the harvest yielded little from its crops? Did her image as _"The Snow Queen"_ truly help or hurt her people? And just what was appropriate for a Queen to wear to a wedding? _Oh, the_ _ **wedding**_ _!_ Elsa thought suddenly. She felt a twitch in her hands, like an electric shock ran through her fingers and wrists. Elsa closed her eyes and winced in pain. She heard the sound of glass cracking. When Elsa opened her eyes, she gasped. The edge of her desk was coated in dark, jagged icicles. Elsa scooted back in the large chair. She didn't summon any power willingly. This wasn't her doing. It couldn't have been. _No, not again_ , she thought.

Elsa was afraid, but she forced her mind to be still. She felt dark thoughts creep up on her from over her shoulder. " _Your power will only grow,"_ she recalled. Elsa thought of something else as fast as possible. Elsa thought of the moment she freed Anna from her ice prison, a year ago. She filled her mind with the sight of Anna's warm cheeks, her embrace, and her exhale of life, snatched from death. Love filled Elsa's mind and flooded her heart. The dark icicles melted to the floor in a puddle of water.

Elsa sighed again, and rubbed her hands. _It's getting worse. What am I to do? What if Anna sees me like this again?_ She thought. Elsa tried not to think of her parents, or of the past. Her first instinct was to hide this problem until she figured it out. Perhaps Elsa could ask Grand Pabbie, but how would she, when she was almost always in the public eye? No, very likely the troll would tell her exactly what she already knew. " _Fear will be your enemy,"_ Elsa recalled. She needed help. But at the same time, how could she talk about this, when she felt like no one would understand her power? So much of her world depended on her mastery over her abilities. _Just what…am I?_ She asked herself. Elsa bent over the floor. The first thing she could do was at least clean up this mess. She cupped her hands around the water. She thought hard of a flower made of ice. The water rippled. Elsa's head hurt, and her arms tightened.

 _Boom!_ The door to the royal study flung open. Elsa immediately got up. Her head hit the top part of the desk. Anna's voice carried into the room as jovial as ever.

"Elssaaaa! Are you done with your work yet?" Anna sang. Anna walked up to the desk, just in time to see her older sister rise up from under a mountain of papers, rubbing her head.

"Elsa? Are you okay?" Anna came up to her, concerned.

"I'm fine, Anna. I was just…stretching," she hesitated.

Anna didn't miss the lie in Elsa's voice. She came right up to her and grabbed her arm with a smile. "I think you need a break. And I know a room full of tasty chocolate-y treats that are just waiting for us!" Anna announced.

Elsa panicked. "Chocolates? You mean you haven't selected—" Elsa started.

Anna waved her worry away. "Yes, silly, I made sure everything's ready for tomorrow. I mean, it's my wedding, so _of course_ I took it seriously. I'm just so happy you're letting me marry a man I got two days _and a whole year_ to know!" She laughed.

Elsa couldn't help but smile. That was true. After tomorrow, Elsa wouldn't be the only one taking care of her anymore. Kristoff would take her place in a role she never could fulfill as Anna's husband and partner. Elsa wanted Anna's every happiness. She wanted to spend these precious moments with her sister like this, in bliss.

"Alright then, to the chocolate!" Elsa laughed. Anna cheered and lead the way out of the royal study, the puddle of ice water and numerous royal decisions, left behind.


	2. Chapter 2: A Mysterious Guest

**II. A Mysterious Guest**

The wedding reception in the grand hall was a spectacle of colors from all over the kingdom. The bride and groom danced to the harmony of stringed instruments, percussion, and wind instruments. Queen Elsa sat in her regal chair and watched the entire affair. She hummed along to the music of the orchestra. She tapped the top of her hand in her lap lightly. Anna and Kristoff, the newly christened bride and groom, danced with vibrant enthusiasm in the center of the dance floor among the guests' colorful swirls of dresses and suits. From the corner of the grand room Queen Elsa could see Olaf's little snow cloud floating above the long buffet table. Occasionally, chocolate sweets were picked up by his skinny, twig hands and disappeared under the table. Queen Elsa chuckled. She felt a pair of eyes watch her from just beyond the long tale of sweets. There in the shadows, stood a figure in an earth-brown cloak propped against the wall. Queen Elsa could not discern who the figure was, but the mysterious guest knew that Elsa watched back. _That's strange._ _I thought I greeted all the guests before the main course was served,_ Elsa thought. The guest had eyes like a cat at night. The hooded figure nodded at Elsa, and gave her a one-handed wave. An uneasy feeling settled in stomach. Queen Elsa called her faithful retainer to her side. Kai ambled to Queen Elsa's side a moment later, and bowed.

"I don't remember greeting that particular guest over there," Elsa pointed. Kai's eyes followed her line of sight. "Could you bring that person here to me, please?" Elsa asked.

"Right away, your majesty," Kai answered. The man bowed again.

Elsa looked back to the corner. Her mysterious guest moved away from the wall, with a ghost-like pace. The hooded-figure weaved between the crowd of chattering guests and dancing pairs, almost completely ignored by everyone. _How could anyone not make eye contact with someone that looks so very out of place?_ Elsa thought. Her unease deepened. Elsa's hands felt strange, like something pinched her skin. The pinch turned into sharp, repeated pain, like lightning strikes. Elsa folded her hands tight. _Not here_ , she commanded herself. _Not when I'm doing so well today._ She was afraid. Her eyes were riveted on the hooded figure that now spoke to Kai near her. Soon, Elsa's deep blue eyes came in contact with hazel eyes underneath the earthen-cloaked hood, in person. Kai cleared his throat.

"Your majesty, may I present to you a wanderer from across the seas—Sybil," Kai turned to the mysterious guest, "You stand before her highness, Elsa, the Queen of Arendale."

The mysterious guest named Sybil bowed low, in a theatrical nature. "It is a privilege to see you, Queen Elsa," Sybil spoke in a smooth voice. The hooded figure straightened and looked deep into Elsa's eyes. Elsa noticed that Sybil's hazel eyes had a tinge of a feral, yellow glow.

Sybil smiled. "I have waited a long time to see what became of Idunna's stricken child."

Elsa was surprised. "You knew my mother?" she asked.

Sybil nodded. "Mm, in a manner of speaking," Sybil removed the hood to reveal a volumous mane of wild black curls that framed a heart-shaped face, and dark brown skin toughened by years. She was aged in beauty. Elsa could see that Sybil wore thick clothing underneath the cloak befitting of a traveler, where one could hide any weapon, trinket, or gold desired. The pinching in Elsa's hand would not stop. The mysterious woman ran a hand through her own hair. Elsa noticed that her arm had inked tattoos of patterns like a tribal woman.

"I have a favor to ask," Sybil began. "Could I visit the graves of the late king and queen, so that I may pay my respects?"

"Tonight?" Elsa wondered. _In the middle of my sister's wedding celebration?_ She thought.

Sybil nodded. "It is one reason why I've travelled this far North. Idunna and Agnarr are one. You are the second reason." Sybil pointed to Elsa's hands with a long finger. One of Elsa's hands trembled badly while her other hand held on tight, like a lid on her fluctuating power. "I can see that ice drums inside of your heart, in ways that threaten your peace."

Elsa gasped. Kai turned to the sound, ready at a moment's notice for any sign of trouble. Elsa raised a hand to stay the man. She thought about this, and granted Sybil's request.

"We must leave without Anna suspecting a thing. I don't want her involved if this solely concerns me," Elsa replied.

Sybil bowed. "As you wish," she complied.

The night time sky glimmered with precious stars. It was a perfect night for a celebration in Arendale. The houses and castle windows glowed with an orange light. The jubilant noise of celebration was far behind them. The royal cemetery was silent. Elsa and Sybil stood in front of the large white tombstone of the former king and queen, their names etched in large letters for all to see. Sybil bent on one knee in front of the stone and bowed her head. She muttered a prayer quietly to herself.

Elsa stayed silent, her head bowed. This was the last place she wanted to be, on this night. Sybil rose and placed her hand on the tombstone. "If only you had waited," she remarked sadly.

"They perished at sea, ten years ago," Elsa said.

"They went to search for a cure, because they could not wait for my return," Sybil stated.

"What?" Elsa questioned.

Sybil faced Elsa and folded her arms. "When you were small, your parents crossed the sea and found me. They thought I would have a cure for their child's ailment, when none could be found here," Sybil began.

Sybil rummaged through the folds of her clothes. She pulled out a long scroll of a worn map, tied by a braided cord of blue, green, red, and yellow, with a medallion made of gold in the center. Sybil handed the scroll to Elsa. The braided cord tied to the scroll felt heavy. It thrummed in her hands like a powerful instrument. Elsa opened the scroll to see a map of several countries she had never seen before. She could not find Arendale or any of the neighboring countries she knew of here. She could scarcely read the map, which had symbols and markings in black ink strokes. Elsa noticed that the various lands were dyed in solid colors, as if that brought further distinction. The largest land on the upper right-hand corner, was green. Across an ocean, a serpent-like land mass was dyed in red. The scrolled parchment in her hand had a combination of scents that wafted up her nose. It smelled like wet, fresh soil, smoke, flowers, and the sea. Elsa thought that in her hands was a different world created on this scroll, a world brimming with magic. Sybil pointed to the map's center.

"I told your parents that I was aware of a world full of 'sorcerers' that conjured the like of your magic. Except that this practice of elemental control is so commonplace that it has become a marvel of personal mastery," Sybil explained.

Elsa looked at her, and tears filled her eyes. Sybil spoke softly, with no intention at all to harm her. "In return for your parents' time and payment, I told them that I would procure a method of travel to and back from this world. I would do this not for a cure, but to help the young girl find a teacher. I said, 'This will be the best answer for little Elsa'".

Elsa's voice broke. "But, you never came back, did you? What happened? All this time," Elsa wiped her tears with the back of her hand, which still drummed with pained pinches. The tears on her face froze and cracked onto the ground, like fragile snowflakes.

When Sybil spoke again, her voice was stern. "Your parents paid me well in gold for my service, but they did not pay me in patience. I told them it would take time, and it has taken me a long time. But I've found what was necessary from the beginning."

Sybil dug into the folds of her clothes and pulled out a tiny, velvet, royal purple bag. She emptied the contents of the bag into her hand. Two magic beans rested in her worn palm, each as clear and smooth as ice crystal. Elsa marveled at the sight of them.

"One to get where you are going, if you believe in it with all her heart. And one to take you back home, if you so wish it to be true," Sybil recited. "This is a journey, solely for you."

Elsa reached for the beans in Sybil's hand, but hesitated. _I am the queen of Arendale. I can't just leave,_ she thought.

"May I ask why you can't do it, when you are far more experienced in…inter-world travel? Or, can you come with me?" Elsa asked.

Sybil shook her head. "This is a journey that only you can understand. It's your choice."

Elsa winced in pain. Her hands twitched, and ice shot into the ground like spikes. Sybil and Elsa heard something hard knock into a rock. Elsa turned her head, terrified. Anna stood there in her wedding dress and rubbed her foot. She bumped into a headstone in the earth.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow," Anna mumbled.

Elsa called out to her. Anna knew she was caught. She straightened up, her fists balled at her sides. She looked resolute, as made up in her mind as any princess on a mission.

"I'll go," Anna said.


	3. Chapter 3: To the Other World

**III. To the Other World**

Anna marched right up to Elsa, holding the skirts of her wedding dress up. Elsa was too stunned to speak. She hid the map behind her.

"I heard everything, and I saw everything. So there's no use in talking me out of it," Anna commanded.

"Anna, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be…supposed to be…" Elsa trailed off.

Anna waved one hand dismissively. "I'm _supposed_ to be on carriage ride to my honeymoon, I know. But then my sister wasn't there to wave me goodbye. No, instead I find you in a _graveyard_ with a _stranger_ , on my wedding!" Anna squeaked, panicked.

"Oh. When you put it that way, this does look…very creepy," Elsa said.

"You don't even know that half of it! If Kristoff starts to realize that I've taken WAY too long with my little 'ladies' room' break, he's going to come and find his bride. HERE," Anna started. "But that's not important right now. You are," Anna grabbed Elsa's hands. To her, they felt like ice. The map and braided cord fluttered to the soft ground.

"Anna, I—" Elsa began.

Anna looked worried. "Elsa, can you even feel your fingers? How long has this been going on? It's the middle of summer and your hands feel like they're frozen!"

Elsa took her hands away. She couldn't look her in the eyes. She didn't know how to explain what was wrong. How could she? Her head was a jumble of thoughts. Her heart beat with anxiety and embarrassment. At least her hands stopped pinching.

"Elsa, please talk to me," Anna pleaded.

Elsa turned her back to her sister. The last thing she wanted to do was cause her to worry on what was supposed to be one of the happiest days of her life. _Why do I always hurt her, when I'm just trying to protect her?_ Elsa thought sadly.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it," Elsa managed.

Anna picked up the braided cord and map. She studied it. She held out her hand to Sybil.

"The beans, please," Anna ordered.

Elsa grabbed her arm. "What do you think you're doing? You can't go," Elsa said.

"No, YOU can't go. I've traveled on my own before, so I'll be fine. You're the queen, so if anything happens to you," Anna paused. She shook her head. "Anyway, I can take my honeymoon after I get back with whatever I'm looking for!" Anna rushed.

"Hm," the wanderer responded. Sybil pocketed the magic beans in the velvet pouch. She placed the velvet pouch in Anna's hands. Anna and Elsa looked at the woman, surprised. Sybil smiled, and her eyes glowed. She looked even more feral. "I must leave now, Elsa and Anna. I have seen all that I need to see," she said.

Sybil walked away. Elsa caught up to her and touched her arm. "Wait a minute! You said that this was a journey for me, alone," Elsa recalled.

Sybil looked back at her from over her shoulder. "I also said it was your choice, little Elsa," Sybil replied. "So what will _you_ do?" Sybil asked. The old woman walked on a few more steps. The earth-brown cloak swept the ground softly. Before Elsa could say anything more, the wanderer had vanished in the dark.

Elsa tip-toed into Anna's room, before the first morning light broke through the clouds of the horizon. She hadn't slept. Instead she was dressed in travel clothes, a cloak, boots, and she carried a full satchel across her back. Elsa exhaled out her nose. The night before had not ended well. Kristoff wasn't happy about Anna cancelling their honeymoon on such short notice. When he heard that it was for personal and important reasons, he gave in with a sigh. Elsa looked at her sister sleeping among her fluffy pillows alone in her bed. Her hair was all over the place. One arm was bent over her head. A long strand of hair was locked into the corner of Anna's open mouth. Elsa chuckled. _I certainly hope Kristoff gets used to seeing you like that,_ Elsa thought. Elsa placed a parchment by her side. Instructions were written out for running the kingdom while she was away, at least for up to a month. Elsa stayed up the rest of the night making the painstaking notes. After all, if Anna had cancelled her honeymoon for her sake, very least she could do was make use of her sister's extended presence in Arendale to keep the peace.

Elsa put on a pair of blue gloves. They were similar to the pair she discarded on the mountaintop one year prior, in an act of freedom. Elsa thought she'd never need such gloves again. If her hands really were cold, then she needed these to be discreet. Elsa gently tugged the velvet pouch from under Anna's pillow. She had to pry Anna's closed fingers off it carefully. Anna snorted, but kept sleeping. She removed her gloves and looked at her hands. Elsa sighed, and left Anna's room with a small, "I'm sorry."

Elsa walked to the top of a hill and stopped under the shade of a tree near a spring. She was very tired, and her hands shook with the onset of another spasm attack. She tucked in her hands and ignored it. Elsa looked back at the castle, the town, and the wide fjord that sparkled in the early morning light. The clouds in the sky were thick. She couldn't tell what time it was, but she was glad that she escaped the notice of any farmers just getting to their fields. Elsa pulled out the velvet pouch from under her tunic that she safe-guarded near her heart. She made a long, thick string to loop the pouch like a necklace before she left. Elsa reached in the pouch for a magic bean, but she had no idea what to do with it. She was brought up in royalty, not in the ways of a commoner or a magician.

Elsa gathered her courage, and looked at the spring. She took a deep breath, and tossed the magic bean. The bean landed in the center with a tiny ripple. Immediately the water swirled like a whirlpool, and in the center became a black hole. Wind, dirt, and leaves funneled into the whirlpool. Elsa cried out and backed away. She slipped and grabbed onto to the grass with her fist. She tried to climb back up, out of the path of this madness. It was then that she remembered Sybil's words, _"One to get where you are going, if you believe in it with all her heart."_

 _If I just believe_ , Elsa thought. She looked back at the whirlpool, determined. Elsa let go the grass. She felt her whole being fall into the center like a doll caught in a windstorm. _Take me to that world, take me there! Please!_ Elsa thought furiously, over and over. She thought of the map. She thought of the strange ink strokes and colored dyes. She focused on the smell of fresh dirt, smoke, the sea, and flowers. Elsa saw her home world enveloped in darkness, like being swallowed up by a pit of fear. Her eyes widened. The blackness faded into a blue sky with soft clouds.

Elsa crashed back-first into a lake in the middle of a forest. Pain shot through her spine. Elsa kicked and struggled underwater. She couldn't swim. She couldn't breathe. Her cloak and boots dragged her down. Fear filled her heart, and water soaked through her lungs. Her legs spasmed. Her hands shook and her arms twitched. Elsa heard the sound of a muffled splash. Strong arms locked around her torso. She was pulled to the surface. As soon as her head broke water, Elsa took in a lungful of air and coughed. The strong arm still dragged her away. Elsa wasn't sure where. Instinctively she pulled against the arm. The strong arm locked around her tighter.

"Stop struggling," a voice commanded close to her ear, but Elsa was too terrified to listen. Her hands spasmed painfully underwater. The water around the two of them became thick and cold, like slush. Elsa forced herself to reach behind her. She pushed the head of the stranger away from her with one hand.

"Stop! I'm trying to help you!" The voice yelled.

"Stay away from me!" Elsa screamed.

Ice shot from her fingers and hit her rescuer or attacker in the face. The person screamed like a man in immense pain. Elsa could barely hear him. Her entire body felt like it was struck by lightning. Her arms and legs spread out wide. The slush-water around them separated in a giant explosion. The lake water rose up like giant walls and froze. Elsa and the stranger fell into the bottom of the empty lake. Elsa landed on a bed of frozen grass and snow. She heard the stranger land on his feet, like a cat. Elsa lifted her head up. Her body felt like needles pricked every inch of her skin. She had a powerful headache. Elsa looked up, and gasped. The young man that landed near to her slowly rose from a crouch. His clothes were of a style she had never seen before, woven in colors of deep scarlet, gold, and earth-brown. He had wild, deep brown hair, and he was lean, like he spent his time in many battles. The young man looked down on Elsa with the most golden eyes she'd ever seen, a scowl on his lips, and a fearsome, deep burn scar over the left side of his face. Shards of ice that hit the burned side of his face melted off of him. He took a deep, irritated breath with his fists clenched. Steam rose off his wet clothes. His golden eyes never left her blue ones. This was her first entry into a new world, and Elsa knew she was in serious trouble.


	4. Chapter 4: The Fire Prince

**IV. The Fire Prince**

Elsa backed away, right into a small tree. She looked up. The tree was coated in icicles and frost. Elsa looked horrified at her surroundings. The entire lake had become a frozen dome, with large, thick walls of ice that reached into the sky like gnarled claws. The bottom of the lake was covered in snow and frozen grass. The air was chilled, and the sun still shined overhead. The two of them were trapped inside the ice bubble, in the center of the frozen lake. _What have I done?_ Elsa thought. Elsa grabbed onto the tree to steady herself. She made eye contact with the young man with the burn scar. The young man didn't relax from his defensive stance.

"Who are you? Why did you attack me?" the young man demanded.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean for any of this to happen, I promise you," Elsa faltered. She wasn't sure whether or not running away was possible at this point. Her body felt unsteady and her mind panicked. She thought quickly. The young man certainly wouldn't let her escape, but would he kill her because she was responsible for this catastrophe? Would he kill her if he knew who she was? What was the best option here, a lie or a truth? She couldn't decide.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I'm so sorry," Elsa repeated, her head bowed against the ice tree. Her clothes were still soaked and heavy with ice water. She was in too much pain. To Elsa's surprise, the young man relaxed his stance. He looked her over carefully.

"You don't look like you're from the Fire Nation, and you don't sound like you're from anywhere I'm familiar with. _And_ you fell from the sky," The burned man said. He cautiously inched toward her. "Tell me the truth," he finished. Elsa realized that with such authority in his voice, and such perceptiveness to the facts in front of him, that she must be dealing with a general or a soldier of some kind.

"My name is Elsa. I am the Queen of Arendale, and I have never heard of the Fire Nation," Elsa's voice was stronger. She was on this quest for a reason, and she knew that she should not be anything less than the queen she was. She held onto the frozen tree and looked at the young man. "Tell me where I am, and who you are. I can make amends for your…injury," she finished.

The young man crossed his arms. "I'm fine. My name's Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation. Son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai," Zuko waited for her to react to his famous lineage. But Elsa only nodded.

"You are royalty then? I thought you were perhaps a soldier of some kind, or a magician," Elsa replied.

Zuko blinked, unbelieving. "You mean you really don't know who I am?"

Elsa shook her head. "I'm sorry," she answered.

"Alright. Let's say I believe you. We're trapped in a frozen lake a mile from the Western Air Temple. Thanks to you," Zuko held out his hand to Elsa. "What are you doing here, Elsa?" he asked.

Elsa did not take Zuko's hand. She got up on her own, however painfully. "I'm on a quest to find a way to control my magic," Elsa began.

"Water bending," Zuko corrected her.

"What?" Elsa puzzled.

Zuko gestured to their frosty surroundings. "This is your doing, right? This is something only a water bender can do. Didn't you learn anything from your training?"

Elsa folded her hands sadly. "There is no one like me in my world. Everything I learned about my power, I had to discover for myself. I thought I had it under control, but something's wrong. All I seem to do is hurt people, and make things worse. That's why I came here, to seek help."

Zuko averted his eyes from her. "I'm a fire bender. Only a water bender could teach you anything about water or ice bending. Besides, I'm on a quest also-To make things right for all the damage I've done. I'm not a person with a reputation you'd want to be around."

She shook her head. "Since the moment I've arrived you've been nothing but kind to me, and all I've done is harm. Perhaps you shouldn't be around me. I'm the one that's not safe," Elsa replied.

Zuko considered that for a moment. He took in her still-soaked appearance and lonely demeanor. Perhaps she really was who she said she was. He wondered what Uncle would want him to do. Should he help the lost Queen, or walk away from this and continue his mission to find the Avatar?

Zuko sighed. "Stay here and bend the water out of your clothes. I'm going to see if I can find something to build a fire with. Unless you can reverse this ice bubble we're in, we're stuck," Zuko said.

"I'll see what I can do. Thank you Zuko," Elsa replied.

Zuko walked away, and Elsa sat under the tree. Elsa didn't fear the cold, but she decided that perhaps a change of clothes was a good idea. She waved her hand over her head with one fluid movement. Her soaked travelling clothes changed into her favorite ice-blue dress. The only thing she hadn't changed was the velvet pouch with the last magic bean. It still hung around her neck. Elsa checked to make sure that the bean was still in the pouch and not lost. She looked at the crystal-like seed in her palm. She considered using it to escape from this world. _I've made a total mess of everything with my horrid power. If I use this, just maybe the lake will return to normal once I'm gone,_ Elsa thought. She could just run and seal herself away back home so that no one in Arendale would get hurt. She could take some time off to try to control this on your own. It was what she should do to protect everyone, including Anna, she reasoned. Elsa clasped her hands around the bean. She pressed her hands to her lips, like a prayer.

 _But is that the right thing to do?_ Elsa thought. She thought of what Anna was doing right at that moment. Anna was probably very worried, or even angry with her. Thinking of her sister reminded her of so many things the two of them went through, like flashes of memory. Elsa looked at the bean again. She stuffed it back inside the velvet pouch. _No. Love was the answer the first time. What is it I'm missing this time? I won't find that out if I cheat my quest,_ she determined.

Elsa fixed her hair and looked around for her travel bag in the soft bed of snow. It fell off when she was drowning. Without it, what would she use for tools and provisions? And what about the map Sybil had given her? She couldn't very well lose that either. Elsa picked up the pace. She found her bag slung over Zuko's shoulder a distance away, toward one of the high, frozen walls of the ice bubble. Zuko took a stance and punched the wall with a loud grunt. A burst of fire shot out of his fist, but the wall didn't even melt. Elsa jumped. _He really is a sorcerer!_ She thought. Zuko looked over his shoulder. His good eye widened at her sudden dress transformation. He blushed at her exposed shoulders, neck, and collar.

"So…You had more clothes somewhere underneath?" Zuko managed.

"Pardon? Oh, my dress. I made this," Elsa puzzled.

"I didn't know water bending could do that. You look nice," Zuko cleared his throat.

"Thank you, Zuko," Elsa curtsied. "So, were you trying to break through the ice?"

"No. I was trying to get the fish. For dinner. This is the strangest ice I've ever seen. What kind of ice doesn't melt with fire?" Zuko answered. Zuko wouldn't consider for a moment that perhaps his fire bending was weak. He looked at her. "You must be a very powerful bender," he said.

"Yet I'm not strong enough to undo this mess. But maybe I can undo this part," Elsa replied. She stood in front of the ice wall. There were fish frozen inside, along with rocks, twigs, and other natural formations. She also noticed unnatural oddities. _Is that a duck with a…turtle shell on its back?_ Elsa wondered. She decided not to comment on it. Elsa put her hands on the ice wall.

Elsa focused on pulling the fish out of the wall. Her hands started to hurt again, and the wall wouldn't move at first. She grit her teeth against the pain. Suddenly she dragged long, ice spikes out of the wall, complete with several fish inside them. Zuko was impressed. Elsa blushed. He kicked through the more fragile spikes and picked up the frozen fish. The two of them walked back to the formerly underwater tree where they met. Elsa picked up stiff twigs and underbrush as they went.

That night Zuko and Elsa shared their individual story around the warmth of the fire. The two of them understood one another. They were very similar souls, even though they were strangers born worlds apart. Zuko and Elsa were both royalty. They both grew up with bad parenting that warped and affected them as adults. Elsa's parents neglected her because of her magic. Zuko's father and his sister tormented him, and exiled him. Elsa was hunted and chained up before. They each had someone that they cared about deeply, whom they ended up hurting. Zuko felt he betrayed his Uncle's trust after everything he did for the fire prince. Elsa isolated herself from her sister Anna, hurting her. She still felt unforgiven for the lost years. Zuko felt unforgiven for siding with his sister Azula and getting Iroh arrested in the Crystal Catacombs in Ba Sing Se.

Zuko picked an icicle off the tree. He gave a piece to Elsa. "If I was back at my camp and not stuck in this lake, I could make some Dragon Jasmine tea for us. I'm not as good as Uncle, though. These will have to do for now," Zuko said.

"That sounds lovely," Elsa said. She handed him a cooked a fish on a large lily pad fresh from the fire. "Your Uncle sounds like a wonderful man, if I might add. I hope you get the chance to reunite with him someday, in your quest to help the Avatar defeat the Fire Lord."

"Yeah. So after all you went through, you suddenly can't control your bending?" Zuko asked.

Elsa sighed. She felt a lot better than when she arrived. "Yes. Lately, my entire body is in pain-like I'm being pinched all over, and twisted in knots. Sometimes my body moves on it's own, and I lose control over what I can do. I have no idea what's wrong with me. I think it's getting worse, and I know that I'm making it worse by drowning in my fear."

Zuko closed his eyes. _Drowning in fear,_ Zuko thought. Something she said brought up an old memory of the first year he vowed to shakedown the earth in search for the Avatar to redeem his honor, back when his scar was still fresh. By mistake, Zuko assaulted an old hermit named Guru Pathik at the Eastern Air Temple, thinking he was the 112-year-old Avatar. It was an embarrassing memory for Zuko, a reminder of what reckless anger cost him. The image of Uncle Iroh's face standing next to him on the edge of a frozen cliff came to mind. The wind rustled through Uncle's silvery beard. Iroh looked at the horizon, and spoke in his comforting voice.

" _A journey of self-discovery is never pointless, Prince Zuko. However dim your path may seem, and however far you may wander from it...The important thing is that you learn from all of your mistakes along the way...and never forget for one moment who you are, or what you are struggling to be."_

Zuko opened his eyes, and came back to the present where Elsa sat across from him with sad blue eyes reflected in the light of the fire.

"You're on a journey to become better, Elsa. So long as you have a spark of hope, my Uncle says you can make it through the darkest of times."

Elsa looked at Zuko. The fire prince toyed with a few embers that drifted from the fire pit onto the tips of his fingers, as if they were summoned to him. Elsa watched the embers dance in his palm, and how the golden color of his eyes reflected power and warmth, wisdom and suffering. "My Uncle taught me how to do the Dragon's breath technique to stay warm in freezing temperatures to survive. It was something he learned. He told me, ' _Fire is a weapon, but it is also the life-giving warmth of the sun. The warmth that burns inside every heart. By concentrating on that inner fire, you can control it. Stroke the flames and warm yourself from within—Chasing away any chill of the air...or of the spirit.'"_

Zuko blew the embers away. Elsa was completely captivated by him. "You don't have to drown in your fears or pain," he finished.

"Teach me, Zuko," Elsa murmured.

"What?" Zuko blinked.

"Teach me what you know about fire bending. Please. This is exactly what I need to hear," Elsa said with determination. She did not want to remain a prisoner of herself any longer.

Zuko put his fist to his chin in thought. He had learned how to redirect lightning from Uncle, who picked up the technique by studying water benders. There was also something else that he learned from Uncle that could steady Elsa—but he had to do a bit more thinking before he got her hopes too high. Zuko felt conflicted about whether or not he was capable of this.

"Hm, I think it's worth a shot. I was going to teach the Avatar how to fire bend anyway. This'll probably be good practice for me as a teacher," Zuko answered. "Get some sleep. We start training tomorrow at first light."

Elsa smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Zuko," she said.

The two of them soon settled in for the night. Zuko and Elsa each recognized that their first reactions weren't always the best when it came to dealing with problems. Elsa ran away from everything, including herself. Zuko externalized his anger about everything, including about himself. When he lashed out in anger, suffering followed. When she locked herself up in fear, suffering followed. But each of them knew, from the words of a kind old man that loved to drink Jasmine tea, that there was always room for improvement. The very next day, the both of them would wake up, and struggle to become the better person they wanted to be, for themselves first.

 **Notes:**

The flashback of Uncle Iroh's quotes was taken and inspired from a graphic novel I ran into while doing research for this story known as _The Last Airbender Prequel: Zuko's Story (2010)_. It's funny where one can get ideas from.


	5. Chapter 5: Fire and Ice Bending

**V. Fire and Ice Bending**

Last night Zuko had a dream of his past, from the time he had attacked Guru Pathik at the Eatern Air Temple with his Uncle. Uncle Iroh made amends with the harassed old hermit with a long discussion over tea, and a game of Pai Sho. Zuko sat with the old men apart from the game in the hermit's temporary hut, irritated and bored out of his mind. He stayed in case the old hermit said anything about the real Avatar, or him—but he never did. The old men droned on in their soothing voices. The smell of jasmine tea filled the air above Zuko. After a while Zuko nodded off. But in the time that he slept, knowledge crept into his mind. Words of wisdom from his true father-figure and the elusive sage poured into him over an old man's game. When Zuko awoke to an ice-capped sky, he remembered what he was trying to think of yesterday—for the most part. He decided it was enough. It would have to be.

Zuko got up early and started a new fire for breakfast. Elsa was still asleep, exhausted from the previous day's craziness. It had been a crazy and unexpected day for Zuko too. All of his life goals were on hold. He decided panicking about losing track of the Avatar's group wasn't the best way to handle being trapped in ice with an addled water bender from another world. He'd lose his temper and probably just make the situation worse. So instead he pushed his fiery, frustrated thoughts away. Zuko unwrapped the frozen fish that hadn't been eaten from yesterday's icicle catch. He prepared their meal over a new fire, and walked over to Elsa. He knelt over her.

"Time to get up. Your training starts today," Zuko ordered.

Elsa stirred, and turned over. _So it's like that, huh?_ Zuko smirked. He knew exactly what to do with soldiers that slept in late. Zuko absorbed the heat from the air, but Elsa only slept right through it. _You mean to tell me the cold doesn't bother her?_ _What kind of bender is she?_ Zuko marveled. Zuko made a fireball in his hand and held it close to her face. Sweat appeared on her forehead, but she only wiped it away with her eyes closed. Elsa still didn't wake up. Zuko's frown deepened. He did not have time for this. He extinguished the fireball in his hand. Zuko grabbed Elsa's shoulders and lifted her upright. Elsa's eyes popped open. She was alarmed that they were suddenly face to face.

"Zuko!" Elsa exclaimed.

"Elsa!" Zuko reacted.

Zuko let go of her, and Elsa scrambled away.

"What were you doing?!" Elsa demanded.

"Why are you so cold?!" Zuko demanded at the same time.

Elsa and Zuko both blushed. They didn't answer one another. Zuko got up and walked over to the fire pit.

"Breakfast. Sorry. Nevermind," Zuko mumbled. He sat down and just ate, in a grumpy mood. Elsa sat across the fire pit from him. Both of them reasoned that it was probably just better to forget that moment happened. Elsa took her fish breakfast and decided to change the subject.

"So, what will I learn today, teacher?" Elsa asked.

Zuko jumped a bit at being called "teacher" just yet. He thought for a moment. Zuko picked up a long stick and sat next to her. He drew a circle in the snow and separated the inside of the circle into four quadrants. He drew markings inside each quadrant that reminded her of the strange brush strokes on Sybil's map.

"There are four elements of bending, each with their own specialty. Earth, Fire, Water, and Air," Zuko pointed to each quadrant as he spoke. This reminded him of Iroh's teaching about how to redirect a lightning attack, from what felt like a lifetime ago. "Earth benders can bend, or move and manipulate, the properties of earth-like rocks. Fire benders—like me—can manipulate fire, and so on," Zuko explained.

Elsa grabbed a parchment and piece of charcoal from her travel bag. She took notes. Zuko looked over but he couldn't make out any of the straight markings on the parchment she wrote, so he let it slide. Elsa was fascinated to learn about bending. She never dreamed that her type of magic had a history and other manipulations, even in another world. She listened to Zuko explain that because of his Uncle it was possible to learn how to control, or how to be creative, with one's power by studying a bender with a different type of skill set. Zuko scratched his chin. He looked at her.

"I think I remember something Uncle mumbled with an old hermit once, about 'Charkras'. They're like…pools of energy or something. They're connected to our emotional and mental state, which affects bending," Zuko said.

"My emotions are Pools and that's affecting my power?" Elsa wondered.

Zuko ran his hands through his scruffy dark hair. "My Uncle is so much better at explaining this than I am," he groaned.

Elsa tried to help. "In my world I was told by a…ah…a sage, that fear would be my enemy. That I had to control my power," Elsa said.

She decided to omit the part about the sage being an old rock troll. Elsa realized that fear had filled her heart and over powered her mind at times. She was more capable of losing control of her abilities when she was afraid. This time, she felt pain, stress, and fear. She was more capable of losing control over her power more than ever. Perhaps being overwhelmed by such emotions and thoughts was like a blocking force or energy—energy that corrupted something that was similar to a chakra pool Zuko talked about.

Elsa stood up and looked at her hands. "Maybe that's what's wrong with me. I'm not just letting fear get to me, it's deeper than that. I'm as blocked and cut off from myself as…this lake," Elsa realized.

Zuko got up and looked around. "That sounds about right. The water in this lake can't flow in and out because it's been turned into ice—and it's imprisoned us. If your feelings and thoughts are keeping you prisoner, then it's time you learned how to focus your energy-yourself-so you can unblock the ice from your heart, Elsa," Zuko said.

Elsa nodded. It was time she learned. She knew only too well what terrible damage ice inside the heart could do.

Zuko stood apart from Elsa on an open expanse of the empty, snow-covered lake bed. Elsa changed from her dress into a long-sleeved tunic, a pair of thick traveling pants, and fur-lined boots she had brought with her in her bag. She tightened the tunic around her waist with a sash. Zuko spent the first half hour teaching Elsa breathing control. Breath was energy in fire bending, not muscle, as Uncle had said. Elsa had trouble clearing her thoughts and trying to maintain a proper, and very unladylike, fire stance—on top of trying to breathe like he wanted her to. Zuko groaned. There was no way she would move on to basic punching at this rate, never mind _bending_.

"You're doing it again. Elsa-Stop hopping when you fix it! Just widen your stance, breathe in through your nose, then OUT through your mouth!" Zuko commanded.

Elsa's foot slipped and she lost her balance. "Ah!" Elsa squeaked. Zuko caught her from behind. Elsa scrambled up. Her face was flushed with sweat and her cheeks were pink. The sun overhead was bright. She was not used to being out in the sun for such long periods of time.

"I'm sorry, this isn't working," Elsa panted.

"We are not taking a break. Push through it!" Zuko said, arms crossed.

"I can't!" Elsa retorted.

"There are no 'can'ts' in firebending!" Zuko shot back. His frustration with this woman boiled. He was self-exiled from home. He was probably too far away to catch up with the Avatar at this point. The Fire Lord's war still raged on, and there were a million other problems on his mind. But here he was, stuck inside a bubble of unmeltable ice, training a clueless foreigner. He clenched his teeth. The flames in the nearby pit started to rise. At the same time, small, dark ice spikes rose from the snow around Elsa's feet. Her hamstrings were sore, her hands pinched, she was hot, lost, and more than fighting off her internal fears. She needed to master this "bending", restore the lake, and get home before something terrible happened to Arendale while she was away. Elsa clenched her fists at her sides.

"I can't focus like this. There has to be another way, teacher!" Elsa demanded.

"You're just going to have to learn to focus. If you don't like the way I teach you can just bend yourself out of here and save me the trouble of teaching you!" Zuko argued.

"Oh, is that why you're pushing me so hard? Because I created this giant bubble by accident? Because somehow I should have known how focus on where I was going while travelling between worlds for the first time ever?" Elsa argued back. The black ice spikes on the ground grew like long, thin nails.

"I don't know, Elsa, should you have done that? If you hadn't come here—"Zuko started. The fire pit rose higher behind them, excited with anger.

"How many times do I have to say it, teacher? I. AM. SORRY!" Elsa moved her hands back, her fingers stretched.

Long, thin ice shards shot out of the ground toward Zuko. Zuko side flipped out of the way. One shard slit clean through his outer tunic like a blade. The fire from the pit swallowed up the black ice spikes like an inferno. Elsa gasped. Zuko looked back at the fire pit. His eyes widened. The black ice shards stood straight in the fire pit, unmelted by the flame. No matter how much the flames licked at the shards, they wouldn't melt. She tried to move the ice shards from where she stood with one hand, but they didn't bulge. Elsa felt like her fear and pain laughed at her from the fire pit. She collapsed to her knees.

"It's hopeless," she whispered, and closed her eyes.


	6. Chapter 6: The Battle Between

**VI. The Battle Between**

Elsa opened her eyes. Zuko sat next to her. His golden eyes were downcast, and his arms were folded over top of his knees. He looked angry still, and very lost in thought. Elsa sat up.

"Teacher, I—" She began.

"Don't. I'm the one that should apologize. I should have just let go of how long this was actually going to take, instead of putting the pressure on you to get it right faster," Zuko looked into her blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Elsa," he finished.

When she looked into his eyes, Elsa was overwhelmed with a new feeling that warmed her inside. It wasn't very often that someone apologized to her sincerely like this. She was the Queen, yes, but she was also imbued with terrible power. A power she felt like apologizing for more than accepting. She felt like people feared her, more than loved her. And she had made so many mistakes in the past. That was something Zuko understood. It amazed her. _He's letting it go,_ Elsa thought. Something clicked inside Elsa. _Letting it go…That's it!_ She marveled.

Elsa stood up and prompted Zuko to get up with her. "I know how I can do this! We just have to let it go!" Elsa said, a little too happy.

"What?" Zuko responded, voice flat.

Elsa rolled up her sleeves. She stood at his side and got into a fire squat stance. She tightened her fists at her sides and breathed in deeply through her nostrils. _"Let it go, let it go, let it go,"_ she chanted. She exhaled slowly from her lips. A chilly set of white snowflakes fell to the ground.

Zuko observed her. "You…actually got it this time. You even bended ice at the same time!" Zuko marveled.

Elsa smiled. "I realized that if my fear was blocking me, than I need to let go of it. If I'm worried or stressed out or sad, then I need to work through that, inside of hiding it. If I just let it go, let things pass through me, I can be…truly free," Elsa explained. "It's the same as letting go of anger over the process, no matter how many times you have to. No matter how long this takes."

Zuko got into a fire squat stance with her. He inhaled and closed his eyes. He slowly exhaled a small breath of fire. "Fire is born of willpower and breath, Elsa. Water is the element of change. So long as you breathe and have the determination…So long as you can change for the better...So maybe," Zuko wondered. He breathed again. " _Let it go, let it go, let it go_ ," Zuko chanted. He believed it. Surprisingly, his thoughts cleared away. He felt lighter, and more alive.

"Looks like you've got the hang of it teacher," Elsa laughed.

"Zuko," he corrected her. She blinked at him, puzzled. Zuko looked at her. "If I'm doing this with you, I'm as equal to you as a student and the teacher," Zuko explained.

"I'd like that very much," Elsa replied, her voice warm with kindness.

The two of them practiced breathing together as one, inhaling and exhaling the chill from their hearts. They chanted together. _"Let it go, let it go, let it go,"_ they said in unison.

"By the way, how did you think of this chant, Elsa?" Zuko asked.

"Oh, I sang about it once, when I was caught up in a moment," Elsa remarked.

Zuko was just confused by that.

Long hours passed under the sun in the ice-capped bubble in the lake, and even longer nights. After Zuko fell asleep each night, Elsa stayed up to practice what she learned during the day. In the mornings and evenings the two of them would work together to grab food from the lake's impossible walls, and drink melted icicles from the tree. When they practiced, Elsa and Zuko were in sync as a bending pair, one with the power of ice and the other with the power of fire. She learned how to manipulate her power with more versatility and inner clarity than she ever had before. Something inside her had loosened, and become free. And for Zuko, the training showed him how to become the teacher he needed to be. Soon, the time came to put the student's skills to test against the teacher.

Elsa gracefully flipped over one of Zuko's fire kicks. She punched his exposed back. A shard of clear-blue ice launched from her fist. Zuko ducked it and swiped the ground by her feet with another fire kick. Elsa jumped, and waved her arms downward in mid-air. The snow surrounding Zuko rose up and trapped him like two giant hands. Elsa landed on the ground gracefully. She put up a defensive stance and smiled, ready. The fight wasn't over yet. Steam sizzled from the mound of snow. Zuko pushed both sides of the snow away with a wide stance. The snow melted into water. Elsa redirected the water around her and turned it into a volley of snowball punches at Zuko. Zuko smirked. He gracefully weaved in and out of the path of the snowballs. Zuko was almost face to face with Elsa when he stopped, one fist raised over her head. Elsa stood still, her body arched sideways in a defensive position, her fists clenched.

Zuko smiled. "Give up?" he asked.

Elsa smiled back at him. "Let's consider this a draw," she remarked. She pointed down.

Zuko noticed that her extended leg was in between his legs. At the end of her foot was a ripple of water, ready to seize his ankles and trap him again. He looked around him. The snow surrounding the two of them on the lake bed rippled and cracked. Zuko relaxed his stance.

"Wait. Do you feel that?" Zuko asked.

Elsa relaxed her stance. She looked at her surroundings with awe. The snow on the ground was melting. The two of them heard a loud crack. They looked up. The large walls had a giant split in them. Elsa grabbed Zuko's sleeve.

"Oh, my. We have to move, now!" Elsa ordered.

Zuko and Elsa rushed toward the tree and gathered as much they could from the camp site. The large ice walls shuddered and toppled. The ground under their feet rumbled. Their feet sunk into wet earth.

"Elsa!" Zuko warned.

"This is it! At my side, Zuko!" Elsa yelled over the rumble.

Zuko stood back to back with Elsa, on guard. Elsa slung her travel bag across her chest. She breathed in the air with a deep inhale, and closed her eyes. The smell of wet earth filled her lungs. Fresh water sprayed her lips and face. _I can do this, I can,_ Elsa thought. Elsa opened her eyes. With graceful, sweeping motions, she bended the lake water around her and Zuko's feet into a solid block of ice that slowly transformed into an ice boat. The snow on the lake bed turned into water that slowly rose higher and higher under their ice boat. Elsa bended the large walls down from ice into the water piece by piece. The lake water rumbled and shifted like a stormy sea.

Elsa used her full body's movement and power as if she were a part of a dance and the water was her music. Her mind was the conductor, and she was unafraid, unashamed, and without pain. Elsa bended the waves of the lake into a natural flow of rhythm. She could feel the river water that had been backed up on either side of the lake rush in and out, backed up for so long because of the impenetrable walls of ice before. The lake water calmed even more. Fish, debris, and animals in the lake water moved freely once more. A group of turtle ducks rose to the surface of the lake and flew away. Elsa and Zuko watched them take flight. Elsa bended the ice boat they were in to the shore. The two of them climbed out. With one movement Elsa bended the ice boat back into the lake water. The large lake was still and clear, like a soft mirror that reflected the sky.

The forest around Zuko and Elsa was deep green and alive with vitality in place of silence. The two of them took in their fresh surroundings. They took in the call of wild beasts and the flow of air passing through the leaves. Elsa collapsed on her knees. She heard Zuko behind her.

"You did it, we're free," Zuko whispered.

"No, we did it," she answered back.

Elsa looked at her hands, red with the number of hours she practiced. She could feel warmth flood through her veins. The pain in her body wasn't the same as before. The pain that controlled her, haunted her-It was gone. It was done. The fear that was lodged in her frozen heart, and everything else she felt, left her. Elsa's entire being was flooded with an inner fire she had never known before she came to this world. She was utterly, and deeply content. _I'm free,_ she thought.


	7. Chp 7: The Way Back, is the Way Forward

**VII. The Way Back, is the Way Forward**

Zuko invited Elsa back to his campsite in the forest, still near the Western Air Temple. From the look of the place, it had been a few days since Zuko left camp to go fishing, only to get trapped with Elsa by accident at the lake. His camp tent was wet and half-caved in with debris, like a storm blew through. Some of Zuko's things were scattered and torn apart—most likely by wild animals. Elsa offered to help clean his campsite. Zuko left to gather firewood and check on something. Zuko was grateful that miraculously the rest of the war balloon he traveled in from the Fire Nation was safe. Without it, he couldn't hope to catch up with the Avatar if the gang had already left, not without doing some serious tracking like he used to in the old days. But Zuko wouldn't continue his mission without first saying a proper goodbye to Elsa. He walked back. At the immaculate campsite, Elsa stood packed and ready to leave. The sun was already getting ready to set soon. Zuko picked out a few jasmine flowers from a satchel hidden in his tent. He gave them to Elsa. She smiled.

"Zuko, thank you so much for all your help, and for training me," Elsa said. "I'll never forget this."

Zuko rubbed his neck and smiled. "Thank you for showing me how to be a good teacher. I hope it helps convince the Avatar to let me train him."

Elsa giggled. "I wish I could vouch for you as the Queen of Arendale on your behalf." Elsa curtsied low, like a lady of the court.

Zuko bowed using the traditional Fire Nation respect. "I would be honored to have your recommendation, Elsa."

The two of them laughed. They were not so different. Even worlds apart they knew they'd still have a bond. Zuko and Elsa knew that it was unlikely that they'd ever see one another again. They were hesitant to say goodbye. Zuko accompanied Elsa on a walk to a clearing in the woods. A soft, grassy clearing was probably a better landing place in another world than water, Elsa reasoned. Elsa pulled out the last magic bean from the velvet pouch around her neck. The weight of the bean felt heavy in her hand. " _One to take you back home, if you so wish it to be true,_ " Elsa recalled. When she looked at the magic bean, she considered everything that she had been through. She thought about the decisions that lead her to this point, and the things she'd have to face when she got back home. She thought about her sister Anna, and smiled. One of the first things she planned to do when she got back, was to tell her sister everything over chocolate cakes and Jasmine tea. And get lots and lots of hugs. _Speaking of which_ , Elsa thought.

"Zuko, I…Could I?..." Elsa began.

"Yeah, what is it Elsa?" Zuko replied.

Flustered, Elsa grabbed Zuko in a quick, tight hug. For the briefest of moments she felt warmer than the sunlight bearing down on them through the trees. She caught a whiff of Zuko's scent, and felt his body tense in surprise at her actions. Zuko wrapped his arms around Elsa and held her gently, returning the hug. Zuko had a strange sensation when he hugged Elsa. Her brilliant, sunlit hair smelled like peppermint, and her body was cool to touch, but nowhere near as frozen as she was when he first touched her. Zuko decided she was nice, and he was going to miss his somewhat aimless student. Elsa squeezed Zuko for an extra second longer. She was more than grateful to him. She was going to miss him, as a person that taught her genuine warmth. They let go of one another and stepped back. Elsa tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and smiled. Zuko smiled back. Elsa tossed the magic bean into the center of the grass clearing. The ground sank under the bean like quicksand. The wind picked up, and the dirt swirled around the center of a black pit. Zuko put his arms up to shield his eyes. He barely saw Elsa say something to him, but he read her lips. Elsa jumped into the magic portal in the ground. The second she did, the ground shut up and returned to normal, solid grass. The wind died, as if nothing had happened.

Zuko panted, amazed by what had taken place. He knew that no one would ever believe him. He suddenly felt heart sick that the only person who could have believed him was already on her way back home, in another world. Zuko cleared his head. _The best I can do, is move forward,_ he thought. Zuko took a deep breath. He turned around and walked back to his camp. Zuko's eyes widen when he returned. In the center of his bed he found a solid snowflake, more intricately designed than anything he'd ever seen in his life. He picked it up carefully in his two hands. The snowflake felt cold and eternal. Zuko smiled at the present Elsa left him. The rest of his journey lay ahead of him, but in moving forward, she had given him a way to look back and remember the memories they shared. With new resolve, Zuko got up and headed toward the Western Air Temple. He was ready to join the Avatar, and no matter it took, he'd do his part to end this war with the Fire Lord.

Elsa landed on her knees and hands. The air was light, colder than where she was previously. The grass under her fingers was rough. She got up, and brushed the dirt from her trousers. Elsa found herself in a glen on a hill. She wasn't too far from the spring, the dirt path, and beyond that, the farms that lead toward the castle city in the kingdom of Arendale. It was long walk back, but Elsa took a deep breath. She was ready to go home at last.

The moment Queen Elsa approached the gates to the castle, the soldiers on the lookout were surprised beyond belief. Elsa didn't look like Elsa at first—her hair and clothes were a bit dirty, she had a satchel slung over her shoulder, and she wore clothes befit for a travelling wanderer. But underneath of it all, Elsa didn't have to do much to prove her identity to the castle guard. A little bit of snow flurries in the summer, and the gates opened immediately. The castle went into an uproar, relieved to have their queen home safe and sound. Her loyal servant Kai rushed to order the bath ready, along with a substantial portion of roast and vegetables fixed. Servants wanted to take everything off Elsa's hands. Olaf ran up to her gleefully with the little snow cloud above his head. Elsa scooped him up in a cool-tempered, warm hug. Something like that only made sense to Olaf. Elsa was pestered with entreaties, concerns about her appearance, and questions by her servants. She assured everyone she was fine. And a moment later, she heard Anna call out her name. Elsa saw her sister dressed royally, with Kristoff at her side, looking equally as handsome. The pair of them were surprised and overjoyed to see Elsa again. Tears welled in Anna's eyes. Elsa ran into her arms and hugged her sister fiercely. She struggled not to cry with her sister.

"I'm home," Elsa whispered to Anna. "I'm sorry about this."

Anna looked into Elsa's eyes. "Nonsense. Tell me everything," she emphasized.

Elsa giggled. "Absolutely."

About an hour later, Elsa sat in a tea room with Anna and Kristoff, cleaned up and dressed in her favorite ice blue dress. A maid brought in a plate of chocolate cakes and a silver tea set. The water in the silver pitcher was piping hot. The maid was ready to strain the tea, but Elsa insisted she served them tea. She used the jasmine tea leaves she got from Zuko to make a cup of tea for Anna, Kristoff, and herself. Anna and Kristoff watched curiously as Elsa worked, completely at peace.

"So you learned this from another world?" Kristoff asked.

"No, but that is how I acquired the tea," Elsa answered.

Anna watched Elsa closely. "You've changed," she said.

Elsa smiled at her. She handed the two of them their cups. "I've learned," she answered.

The three of the enjoyed the soothing aroma and velvet taste of Uncle's Dragon Jasmine tea. Kristoff especially liked the name of it. Anna put more sugar in hers, favoring a sweeter flavor, but Elsa liked hers straight. Elsa took a long sip of the jasmine tea. She savored the scent with a pleased hum.

"This IS good tea," Anna sighed. She picked up a chocolate cake and took a big bite of it.

"Yeah. It only took you a week to get it," Kristoff joked.

"I've been gone a week?" Elsa's eyes widened.

Anna elbowed Kristoff in the ribs. Anna wiped her lip. "Well, it's not like the city went up in flames while you were gone…or got snowballed again…So everything went fine," Anna replied. "I'm just so glad you're back."

"I know," Elsa answered. "Thank you for understanding."

Anna shook her head. "I would have understood if you had just told me that you wanted to do this on your own, instead of getting a note in the morning. That was a bit…cold."

"I'm sorry about that too," Elsa answered. "I know I have a lot to work on, with you. But I..I couldn't imagine doing anything else more important."

"Even running a kingdom, Elsa?" Anna replied with a smirk.

"Especially not that. Not without you, anyway," Elsa took another sip.

Anna was stunned at that. "But for so long, you just wanted it to be…all you," she began.

"I know. I was overwhelmed and wrong," Elsa averted her eyes.

The tea room went quiet. Kristoff cleared his throat. "So, uh, Elsa did you get something else there in that other world besides good tea?"

Anna perked up. "That's right! Tell us all about the ice sorceress that taught you to control your power."

Elsa stood up and smirked. "Actually, I learned this from a Fire Prince."

With a wave of her hand her ice blue dress turned into a tunic, pants, and boots outfit that matched the kind of clothes Zuko wore, except that these were blue. Elsa took a deep breath. She displayed a graceful, but powerful move inspired by Zuko toward the large, open window in the tea room. An ice dragon flew from her arm out the window. It dissipated into an explosion of snowflakes onto the delighted citizens in the courtyard below. Through the open window Anna stood up and clapped her hands. She had never seen such calmness and life radiate from her sister before. Even Kristoff was knocked off his feet in surprise. Elsa laughed and bowed.

Below, the snowflakes from the window fell gracefully into the hands of children, soldiers, and ordinary citizens alike. People laughed and remarked at the return of their snow queen. The hand of a mysterious traveler caught a snowflake. Sybil looked at the intricate design with a coy, satisfied smile, shadowed beneath her earthen cloak among the crowd. In her other hand was the worn map of the other world, wrapped in the colorful, braided cord. Sybil turned, and blended into the crowd. She headed out of the gates of Arendale, to who-knows-where.

 _ **The End**_


End file.
